Car Thief Busted Thanks to Dead Relative

If stealing a car from his mom wasn't bad enough, police say a Florissant man trotted out an extremely lame alibi: He tried to say he was actually returning it.

The bizarre case began in December when the man's mother told police he had taken her 1999 Chrysler 3000 from her home without permission. A St. Louis County police officer finally caught up to 44-year-old Rudy Boykins about three weeks later on January 2, according to police.

He was driving the missing car at the time, but he had an explanation, authorities say. Boykins, who has previous convictions for assault and drugs, reportedly claimed he had just learned his mother's car was gone. Ever the helpful son, he started checking around and called his uncle to see if he had it.

The uncle did not, Boykins said, but he knew where it was parked. So, like any good son, he picked it up and just happened to be driving it back to his mom when he was pulled over.

There was just one problem with that story. The uncle in question had died about a month before the woman's car disappeared, police say.

Boykins was charged late last week with tampering with a motor vehicle. He was jailed on $10,000 bond.

Editor's note: This story was changed after publication to correct the timing of events.

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